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Date Time Competition Season
22 January 2022 1:00 pm European Champions Cup 2021/22

Match Report

Leinster deliver bonus point against Bath

Leinster booked their place in the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup, in emphatic style after a 64-7 win over Bath this afternoon. The bonus point secured before the first half had elapsed.

The Irish province running in ten tries in the end, Jordan Larmour, Hugo Keenan, Andrew Porter, Josh Van Der Flier, Ciaran Frawley and Dan Sheehan all crossing while Jimmy O’Brien crossed for four tries.

The win gave Leinster their third of the competition, and sees them with a good chance for a higher seeding ahead of the draw for the last 16 of the tournament.

Despite the result we had an opening chaotic first quarter to the game as both teams had fire in the bellies to claim the win, Bath started strong but failed to test the Leinster defence, before the Irish province turned over possession and went up the other end.

Leinster looked to have the opening try in the 11th minute, O’Brien the man to touch down the loose ball, in the build up Larmour held back a Bath player to prevent the ball being cleared.

Shortly after Larmour had another chance to cross over legally this time, he sprinted well down the wing before kicking up the line but the ball was dealt with by the English side's defence.

O’Brien got over for the opening try on the second time of asking in the 16th minute, after four carries, the ball carried out of the ball of the ruck before offloading wide to O’Brien to get over the line, Johnny Sexton missing the conversion to leave it 5-0.

Van Der Flier increased Leinsters lead with 25 minutes elapsed in the opening half, a fantastic solo effort as he received the pass and broke on the attack, racing through to touch down without a challenge, Sexton landed the conversion to make it 12-0.

Larmour added the third try just after the half hour mark, the winger ghosting in behind the Bath defence, showing real pace he got over and as Sexton scored the conversion it pushed them 19-0 ahead.

Max Clark had Bath finally on the scoreboard in the 34th minute, they were deserving a score and Clark managed to gather a loose ball as he broke clear of the Leinster backline.

As the dust settled Leinster had their bonus bonus before the half ended, breaking clear again before Sexton played a wonderful kick through for O’Brien to add his second of the afternoon, the conversion making it 26-7.

Leinster ended the half with a fifth try Frawley on the field a matter of minutes as a blood sub, managed to elude the tackles and cross the line unopposed, Sexton getting his fourth conversion to make it 33-7 at half time.

Leinster were in cruise control and within just six minutes of the restart, in the charge once more Porter powered over off the side of the maul for the sixth try, Sexton making it a 33 point game after landing another conversion, Bath down to 14 men temporarily as Gabe Hamber-Webb was sent to the bin for a deliberate knock on.

O’Brien got his Hatrick in the 50th minute, a wonderful cross field kick by Sexton seeing the winger free near the opposite touch line, he gathered the kick superbly to make it 45-7.

Within four second half minutes Leinster had three tries, working the phases across the field Hugo Keenan crossed in the corner, Sexton missing two conversions in a row but Leinster pushing out a 43 point lead.

Dan Sheehan on as a substitute was the next man to cross for Leinster, amazing pace from the Hooker saw him burst clear of the tackles, and a wonderful offload saw him making it a 50 point game, 57-7.

O’Brien capped his wonderful afternoon of scoring just before the end of play with the tenth try, a wonderful clearance kick by Larmour saw the winger sprint clear behind the defence before gathering himself to cross in the corner, Ross Byrne kicking his second conversion after coming on to extend the lead.

Leinster

1Andrew Porter 16 Prop 47'
2Ronan Kelleher 17 Hooker
3Michael Alaalatoa 18 Prop
4Ross Molony Lock
5Josh Murphy 19 Flanker
6Caelan Doris Flanker
7Josh Van Der Flier 20 Flanker 25'
8Jack Conan No. 8
9Luke McGrath 21 Scrum-Half
10Johnny Sexton 22 Fly-Half 25', 31', 38', 40', 47'
11Jimmy O’Brien Centre 16', 37', 50'
12Robbie Henshaw 23 Centre
13Garry Ringrose Centre
14Jordan Larmour Winger 31'
15Hugo Keenan Full-Back 51'
16Dan Sheehan 1 Hooker 70'
17Cian Healy 2 Prop
18Vakh Abdaladze 3 Prop
19Ryan Baird 5 Lock
20Max Deegan 7 No. 8 59'
21Jamison Gibson-Park 9 Scrum-Half
22Ross Byrne 10 Fly-Half 70'
23Ciaran Frawley 12 Fly-Half 40'

Past Meetings

(Round 1)
45 - 20
European Champions Cup
Aviva Stadium

Leinster v Bath

Ground

The Recreation Ground
Johnstone Street, Bathwick, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, South West England, England, BA2 4DH, United Kingdom

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.